Bishop Diego standouts Sam Crawford and Jaymi Coronado were celebrated on Monday in the Brick House for continuing their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level.
The duo was honored in a ceremony that featured words from athletic director John Muller, head girls basketball coach Jeff Burich and head football coach Tom Crawford.
Crawford, a football star with the Cardinals, will play football at the Division-III level for Wheaton College in Illinois.
“It takes a lot of hard work, early mornings, late nights. Staying late at practice, just getting the extra work in,” Crawford said of what it took to get to Wheaton. “My brother goes [to Wheaton]… his friends, the community that they’ve built there is great. I love it, it’s a God-loving community. I can’t wait to be there.”
“As a freshman, [Bishop Diego] had me play up with varsity to get some varsity-level experience. That was just the stepping stone to get me to where I am today.”
Crawford was a two-time member of the All-Marmonte League First Team and capped off his strong career by winning the Co-Marmonte League Defensive Player of the Year award.
Meanwhile, Coronado will also be heading to Illinois to play Division-III basketball and attend Augustana College.
“I’m just super excited and ready to work even harder than I have before,” Coronado said. “I’m just glad that all my hard work up until now has brought me to this momentum.
“I was looking for a place where I can experience the seasons… [The team] were all just really good people and really welcoming towards me, so that really drew me in and confirmed my decision.”
Coronado rewrote the record books during her time as a Cardinal, totaling 79 wins and leaving fourth in all-time points and third in three-pointers made. She ended her career by leading Bishop Diego to a CIF-SS Division 5 title.